DeKalb, IL is 4,453 miles from Iquique, Chile.

On November 1, 2014, a research team from the Department of Geology & Environmental Geosciences at Northern Illinois University (NIU) and Beloit College will embark on a 4,453 mile journey from DeKalb, Illinois to Iquique, Chile.  The purpose of this trip is to study the hydrology of the Pampa del Tamarugal Aquifer, which is the sole source of municipal, agricultural, and industrial water in the region.  The research team includes Dr. Justin Dodd and Dr. Ryan Pollyea from NIU, Dr. Sue Swanson from Beloit College, and two NIU graduate students, Elizabeth Olson and Rick Jayne.

In this blog, we will document this epic journey for our friends at NIU, Beloit College, Naperville Central High School, and the dinosaur-loving kindergarteners at Lincoln Elementary School!

Stay tuned...